Cross River Tram: Sadiq Khan declines to revive scheme

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said he does not intend to revive the Cross River Tram project cancelled by his predecessor Boris Johnson.

Former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone with a Cross River Tram mock-up

Last month we reported on a question tabled by Green Party London Assembly member Caroline Russell who asked the incoming Labour Mayor to consider reviving the tram proposal.

The Cross River Tram would have run between Euston and Waterloo, with branches to Camden Town and King's Cross in the north, and Brixton and Peckham in the south.

The scheme was initiated whilst Ken Livingstone was Mayor of London but work on the project was halted by Boris Johnson in 2008.

Now Sadiq Khan has said: "TfL has though invested in significant improvements to the transport networks along the corridor that the Cross River Tram (CRT) would serve, including upgrading the capacity of the Victoria and Northern lines and further service and station improvements are also planned.

"Camberwell in particular has benefitted from the extension of the London Overground through the area, improving links to Denmark Hill station.

"TfL has also been working with Southwark Council and Network Rail to investigate the reopening of Camberwell railway station on the Thameslink line.

"Initial work suggests a station is physically feasible, and the next stages include assessing the operational impacts on the rail network of adding an additional station stop, and the impacts and benefits of the proposal on existing or new passengers, and on local development plans.

"Many of the objectives of the CRT project have already been realised through these measures, and given the proposals for further transport improvements in the area, I do not intend to re-open the CRT project at this time."